As Dubai chewy cookie craze continues, Food Ministry warns of safety risks

The Dubai chewy cookie's popularity has reached a near frenzy. The sweet treat, which used to only be sold at cafes and bakeries, is appearing in casual eateries and full-service restaurants.

About 50 people wait outside a Dubai chewy cookie cafe in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, ahead of its opening on Jan. 10. [RYU HYO-RIM]

As temperatures dipped to minus 6 degrees Celsius (21.2 degrees Fahrenheit), more than 50 people lined up outside a popular cafe in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, on the afternoon of Jan. 10. All were waiting for the same dessert: the Dubai chewy cookie.

“I finally got it,” said Jeong Seok-hyun, smiling as he emerged from the cafe with a small box in hand. “My elementary school-aged daughter kept asking for it, so I stood in line and managed to buy four.”

Nearby, Anna, an American tourist, said she learned about the Dubai chewy cookie on Instagram after buying a similar dessert — the Dubai chewy mochi — at another well-known shop in the area. “I’m curious about what [the cookie] tastes like,” she said.

Subzero lines, red-hot demand

The Dubai chewy cookie's popularity has reached a near frenzy.

Once a shop is rumored to sell a delicious version of the dessert, customers from across the country flock to its location.

The sweet treat, which used to only be sold at cafes and bakeries, is appearing in casual eateries and full-service restaurants. There's even an online map that tracks stores' inventory in real time.

The Dubai chewy cookie is a Korean take on Dubai chocolate, which gained traction in Korea last year. Kataifi, or shredded phyllo dough strands, and a pistachio spread are encased in chocolate marshmallow dough and shaped into a ball, creating a soft exterior with a crunchy center.

For most customers, the appeal comes down to taste.

Despite complaints about its high prices, many say the Dubai chewy cookie is “worth it,” and first-time buyers often return, turning what began as a trend into something more.

Park Yoo-kyeong poses with Dubai chewy cookies that she purchased during a “Dubai chewy cookie tour” last November. [COURTESY OF PARK]

Traveling for dessert

Some fans now travel specifically to visit popular Dubai chewy cookie shops.

Park Yoo-kyeong from Boryeong and Kim Hyeon-jeong from Jeju Island regularly take early-morning buses or flights to tour well-known shops around northern and western Seoul.

“There aren’t many dessert cafes where I live,” Park said. “So I plan trips to cities where [Dubai chew cookie] shops are clustered.” She added that Daegu is next on her list.

Cafes that ride the trend are seeing a surge in business.

Yoon Jeong-han, a cafe owner in Seongsu-dong, said the dessert helped him choose his store's direction.

“I had been wondering about the shop’s identity,” he said. “Now I’m thinking of committing fully to desserts.”

As demand has grown, shops have introduced spinoffs such as the Dubai chewy gimbap, or seaweed rice rolls. Many now limit the number of cookies per customer or operate on reservation systems.

A community-built “Dubaicookiemap map,” showing nearby stores' inventory and per-person purchase limits, has also gained traction. The developer said inquiries from cafes owners hoping to be included continue to pour in.

Cho Eun-byeol, who runs a pork rib restaurant in Gangseo District, western Seoul, prepares Dubai chewy cookies before opening her shop on Jan. 7. [COURTESY OF CHO]

Restaurants join the craze

The boom has spilled beyond pastry shops.

Restaurants far removed from desserts — such as barbecue joints, sushi restaurants and traditional diners — have begun baking and selling Dubai chewy cookies.

Cho Eun-byeol, who runs a pork rib restaurant in western Seoul, began making the dessert herself after sampling dozens of versions.

“Most cafes sell out early in the day,” she said, “so we sell ours later in the day.”

Since adding Dubai chewy cookies to the menu, her daily sales have more than doubled.

Some restaurants require customers to order a full meal to purchase the dessert. At Cho’s restaurant, diners must spend at least 19,000 won ($12.90).

Others have reported similar results.

Park Sang-beom, who operates a sushi restaurant in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, shows a pistachio spread he made himself and some Dubai chewy cookies on Jan. 13. Park said his monthly sales rose more than 30 percent after adding the dessert. [COURTESY OF PARK]

Park Sang-beom, who owns a sushi restaurant in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, said monthly sales rose by more than 30 percent after he added the cookie to his menu.

“These days, I find myself paying more attention to Dubai chewy cookies than sushi,” he said.

Lee Soo-bin, who operates a traditional diner in Seocho District, southern Seoul, said the dessert now accounts for up to 20 percent of additional revenue.

Margins remain slim due to high ingredient costs, but owners say the marketing effect is significant.

“Advertising to attract one new customer costs at least 100,000 won,” Park said. “But many customers now find us through the Dubai chewy cookie.”

Ingredient shortages, safety concerns

The surge has also strained supply chains.

Kataifi, a key ingredient, is mostly imported, and prices have jumped sharply, forcing some shops to halt sales or impose strict limits.

Concerns have resurfaced about illegal imports and unregistered sales, echoing problems seen during last year's Dubai chocolate craze.

In one case in 2024, a shop in Busan was suspended for selling products made with undeclared imported ingredients.

Safety worries have grown as individuals trade ingredients and finished desserts through secondhand platforms such as Karrot. Under Korean law, online food sales require proper registration, but violations have been detected.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it plans to strengthen oversight to prevent the sale of unregistered food products, warning that illegally traded food poses heightened hygiene and safety risks.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY RYU HYO-RIM, KIM YE-JUNG, KWAK JOO-YOUNG, IM SOUNG-BIN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]